Chromosomes are maintained in a stable state within cells by the action of various cellular functions (genes). Examples of typical cellular functions (genes) that contribute to this chromosome stabilization are as follows:
(a) Genes Associated with Human Chromosomal Instability Disorders
Chromosome breakage, deletion, translocation, and aneuploidy are observed in cells from patients with human chromosomal instability disorders, and these cells are also sensitive to DNA damage-inducing drugs. The occurrence of such instabilities indicates that human chromosomal instability disorder-associated genes are involved in chromosome stabilization.
(b) Chromosomal DNA Replication Reaction Including Initiation of Chromosomal DNA Replication and Progression of Replication Fork
The chromosomal DNA replication reaction plays the role of replicating chromosomal DNA during cell proliferation. It has the function of maintaining the number of chromosomes by accurately doubling the chromosomes when a cell divides into two cells.
(c) DNA Damage Checkpoints
DNA damage checkpoints play the role of checking for DNA damage, including breakage, chemical modification, and crosslinking, in chromosomes when the cell cycle advances from each of G1, S, G2, and M phases to the next phase. These checkpoints have the function of removing chromosomal DNA damage before proceeding to the next stage of the cell cycle.
(d) Sister Chromatid Agglutination and Separation
Sister chromatid agglutination and separation play the role of accurately separating, into daughter cells, sister chromatids in somatic cells in which replication has been completed.
(e) Base Excision Repair
Base excision repair plays the role of removing modified bases when a chemical modification damage, including oxidation and methylation, has occurred in bases in chromosomal DNA.
(f) Mismatch Excision Repair
Mismatch excision repair plays the role of recognizing mismatched base pairs other than the correct G-C and A-T base pairs present in chromosomal DNA, and repairing them to the correct base pairs.
(g) Nucleotide Excision Repair
Nucleotide excision repair plays the role of repairing DNA by recognizing and removing DNA damage such as cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and 6-4 photoproducts, which occur in chromosomal DNA due to ultraviolet irradiation, and DNA internal crosslinking, which occurs between adjacent bases in chromosomal DNA due to cisplatin.
(h) Homologous Recombination Repair
Using an undamaged homologous chromosome as a template, homologous recombination repair plays the role of repairing various DNA damage, including breaks and gaps occurring in chromosomal DNA, and DNA damage resulting from incomplete repair by mechanisms such as base excision repair, mismatch excision repair, and nucleotide excision repair.
(i) Non-Homologous End-Joining Repair (Non-Homologous Recombination Repair)
Non-homologous end-joining repair (non-homologous recombination repair) plays the role of repairing double-strand breaks in chromosomal DNA by joining the ends.
(j) Double-Strand DNA Break Repair
Double-strand DNA break repair plays the role of repairing double-strand breaks occurring in chromosomal DNA. This repair mechanism includes homologous recombination repair and non-homologous end-joining repair (non-homologous recombination repair).
(k) DNA Post-Replication Repair (DNA Damage Tolerance)
DNA post-replication repair (DNA damage tolerance) is a mechanism that enables repair of a damaged DNA strand when damaged chromosomal DNA is replicated. Residual DNA damage is repaired following replication by this mechanism.
(l) DNA Crosslink Damage Repair
DNA crosslink damage repair plays the role of repairing DNA crosslink damage within and between chromosomes caused by crosslinking agents such as cisplatin.
(m) DNA-Protein Crosslink Damage Repair
DNA-protein crosslink damage repair plays the role of removing covalently bonded complexes and crosslinked complexes when a covalently bonded enzyme protein-DNA complex, which is a reaction intermediate of DNA repair, has been formed, or a crosslinked complex between a base in chromosomal DNA and a protein has formed.
(n) DNA Polymerase
DNA polymerases play the role of carrying out DNA synthesis reactions in chromosome stabilization mechanisms such as replication, recombination, and repair.
(o) Nuclease
Nucleases play the role of decomposing DNA in chromosome stabilization mechanisms such as replication, recombination, and repair.
(p) Nucleotide Cleansing
Nucleotide cleansing plays the role of removing modified bases when chemical modification damage, including oxidation and methylation, has occurred in a base of a nucleotide serving as the substrate of a DNA synthesis reaction.
(q) Chromatin Structure Maintenance
Chromatin structure maintenance plays a role in chromosome stabilization mechanisms such as replication, recombination, and repair, through maintaining the higher order chromosomal structure.
(r) Telomere Structure Maintenance
Telomere structure maintenance plays an important role in chromosome stabilization via the control of chromosome end telomere length and the formation and maintenance of special higher order structures in telomere regions.
In addition, various genes related to the aforementioned functions have been reported to be involved in chromosome stabilization. For example, various findings have been reported regarding various genes involved in chromosome stabilization (see Non-Patent Documents 1 to 83).
However, the correlation between the aforementioned functions (genes) involved in chromosome stabilization and the induction of cancer-cell specific apoptosis was so far unknown.    [Non-patent Document 1] Wood, R. D., Mitchell, M., Sgourou, J. and Lindahl, T. (2001). Human DNA repair genes Science, 291, 1284-1289.    [Non-patent Document 2] Nyberg, K. A., Michelson, R. J., Putnam, C. W. and Weinert, T. A. (2002). Toward maintaining the genome: DNA damage and replication checkpoints Annu. Rev. Genet. 36, 617-656.    [Non-patent Document 3] Sogo, J. M., Lopes, M. and Foiani, M. (2002). Fork reversal and ssDNA accumulation at stalled replication forks owing to checkpoint defects Science, 297, 599-602.    [Non-patent Document 4] Casper, A. M., Ngheim, P., Arlt, M. F. and Glover, T. W. (2002). ATR regulates fragile site stability Cell, 111, 779-789.    [Non-patent Document 5] Zhou, B.-B. S, and Bartek, J. (2004). Targeting the checkpoint kinases: chemosensitization versus chemoprotection Nature Review, 4, 1-10.    [Non-patent Document 6] Rich, T., Allen, R. and Wyllie, A. H. (2000). Defying death after DNA damage Nature, 407, 777-783.    [Non-patent Document 7] Nigg, E. A. (2002). Centrosome aberrations: cause or consequence of cancer progression Nature Review, 2, 815-825.    [Non-patent Document 8] Miller, H. and Grollman, A. P. (2003). DNA repair investigations using siRNA DNA repair, 2, 759-763.    [Non-patent Document 9] Merchant, A. M., Kawasaki, Y., Chen, Y., Lei, M., Tye, B. K. (1997). A lesion in the DNA replication initiation factor Mcm 10 induces pausing of elongation forks through chromosomal replication origins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mol Cell Biol., 17, 3261-3271.    [Non-patent Document 10] Tugal, T., Zou-Yang, X. H., Gavin, K., Pappin, D., Canas, B., Kobayashi, R., Hunt, T. and Stillman, B. (1998). The Orc4p and Orc5p subunits of the Xenopus and human origin recognition complex are related to Orc1p and Cdc6p J. Biol. Chem., 273, 32421-32429.    [Non-patent Document 11] Stoeber, K, Mills, A. D., Kubota, Y., Krude, T., Romanowski, P., Marheineke, K., Laskey, R. A. and Williams, G (1998). Cdc6 protein causes premature entry into S phase in a mammalian cell-free system EMBO J., 17, 7219-7229.    [Non-patent Document 12] Wohlschlegel, J. A., Dwyer, B. T., Dhar, S., Cvetic, C., Walter, J. C. and Dutta, A. (2000). Inhibition of eukaryotic DNA replication by Geminin binding to Cdt1 Science, 290, 2309-2312.    [Non-patent Document 13] McGarry, T. and Kirschner, M. W. (1998). Geminin, an inhibitor of DNA replication, is degraded during mitosis Cell, 93, 1043-1053.    [Non-patent Document 14] Ishimi, Y., Komamura, Y, You, Z., Kimura, H. (1998). Biochemical function of mouse minichromosome maintenance 2 protein J Biol Chem., 273, 8369-8375.    [Non-patent Document 15] Ishimi, Y. (1997) A DNA helicase activity is associated with an MCM4, -6, and -7 protein complex J. Biol. Chem., 272, 24508-24513.    [Non-patent Document 16] Gozuacik, D., Chami, M., Lagorce, D., Faivre, J., Murakami, Y., Poch, O., Biermann, E., Knippers, R., Brechot, C. and Paterlini-Brechot, P. (2003) Identification and functional characterization of a new member of the human Mcm protein family: hMcm8 Nucleic Acids Res., 31, 570-579.    [Non-patent Document 17] Sato, N., Arai, K., Masai, H. (1997). Human and Xenopus cDNAs encoding budding yeast Cdc7-related kinases: in vitro phosphorylation of MCM subunits by a putative human homologue of Cdc7 EMBO J. 16, 4340-4351.    [Non-patent Document 18] Bernstein, H. S., Coughlin, S. R. (1998). A mammalian homolog of fission yeast Cdc5 regulates G2 progression and mitotic entry. J Biol Chem., 273, 4666-4671.    [Non-patent Document 19] Kubota, Y., Takase, Y., Komori, Y., Hashimoto, Y., Arata, T., Kamimura, Y., Araki, H., Takisawa, H. (2003). A novel ring-like complex of Xenopus proteins essential for the initiation of DNA replication. Genes Dev., 17, 1141-1452.    [Non-patent Document 20] Kukimoto, I., Igaki, H. and Kanda, T. (1999). Human CDC45 protein binds to minichromosome maintenance 7 protein and the p70 subunit of DNA polymerase alpha Eur J Biochem. 265, 936-943.    [Non-patent Document 21] Stadlbauer, F., Brueckner, A., Rehfuess, C., Eckerskom, C., Lottspeich, F., Forster, V., Tseng, B. Y. and Nasheuer, H. P. (1994). DNA replication in vitro by recombinant DNA-polymerase-alpha-primase. Eur J Biochem. 222, 781-793.    [Non-patent Document 22] Bochkarev, A., Pfuetzner, R. A., Edwards, A. M. and Frappier, L. (1997). Structure of the single-stranded-DNA-binding domain of replication protein A bound to DNA. Nature., 385, 176-181.    [Non-patent Document 23] Erdile, L. F., Wold, M. S, and Kelly, T. (1990). The primary structure of the 32-kDa subunit of human replication protein A J. Biol. Chem., 265, 3177-3182.    [Non-patent Document 24] Krishna, T. S., Kong, X. P, Gary, S., Burgers, P. M. and Kuriyan, J. (1996). Crystal structure of the eukaryotic DNA polymerase processivity factor PCNA. Cell., 79, 1233-1243.    [Non-patent Document 25] Barnes, D. E., Johnston, L. H., Kodama, K., Tomkinson, A. E., Lasko, D. D. and Lindahl, T. (1990). Human DNA ligase I cDNA: cloning and functional expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA., 87, 6679-6683.    [Non-patent Document 26] Poot, R. A., Dellaire, G, Hulsmann, B. B., Grimaldi, M. A., Corona, D. F., Becker, P. B., Bickmore, W. A. and Varga-Weisz, P. D. (2000). HuCHRAC, a human ISWI chromatin remodelling complex contains hACF1 and two novel histone-fold proteins. EMBO J., 19, 3377-3387.    [Non-patent Document 27] D'Arpa, P., Machlin, P. S., Ratrie, H. 3rd, Rothfield, N. F., Cleveland, D. W. and Earnshaw, W. C. (1988). cDNA cloning of human DNA topoisomerase I: catalytic activity of a 67.7-kDa carboxyl-terminal fragment. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA., 85, 2543-2547.    [Non-patent Document 28] Pouliot, J. J., Yao, K. C., Robertson, C. A., Nash, H. A. (1999). Yeast gene for a Tyr-DNA phosphodiesterase that repairs Topoisomerase I complex Science, 286, 552-555.    [Non-patent Document 29] Cheng, T. J., Rey, P. G, Poon, T. and Kan, C. C. (2002). Kinetic studies of human tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase, an enzyme in the topoisomerase I DNA repair pathway. Eur J Biochem., 269, 3697-3704.    [Non-patent Document 30] Merkle, C. J., Karnitz, L. M., Henry-Sanchez, J. T. and Chen J. (2003). Cloning and characterization of hCTF18, hCTF8, and hDCC1. Human homologs of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae complex involved in sister chromatid cohesion establishment J Biol Chem., 278, 30051-30056. Epub 2003 May 23.    [Non-patent Document 31] Sumara, I., Vorlaufer, E., Gieffers, C., Peters, B. H. and Peters, J. M. (2000). Characterization of vertebrate cohesin complexes and their regulation in prophase. J Cell Biol., 151, 749-762.    [Non-patent Document 32] Shiloh, Y (2001). ATM and ATR: networking cellular responses to DNA damage. Curr Opin Genet Dev., 11, 71-77.    [Non-patent Document 33] Sanchez, Y, Wong, C., Thoma, R. S., Richman, R., Wu, Z., Piwnica-Worms, H., Elledge, S. J. (1997). Conservation of the Chk1 checkpoint pathway in mammals: linkage of DNA damage to Cdk regulation through Cdc25. Science., 277, 1497-1501.    [Non-patent Document 34] Carney, J. P., Maser, R. S., Olivares, H., Davis, E. M., Le Beau, M., Yates, J R 3rd, Hays, L., Morgan, W. F. and Petrini, J. H. (1998). The hMre11/hRad50 protein complex and Nijmegen breakage syndrome: linkage of double-strand break repair to the cellular DNA damage response. Cell., 93, 477-486.    [Non-patent Document 35] Volkmer, E. and Karnitz, L. M. (1999). Human homologs of Schizosaccharomyces pombe rad1, hus1, and rad9 form a DNA damage-responsive protein complex. J Biol Chem., 274, 567-70.    [Non-patent Document 36] Parker, A. E., Van de Weyer, I., Laus, M. C., Oostveen, I., Yon, J., Verhasselt, P. and Luyten, W. H. (1998). A human homologue of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe rad1+ checkpoint gene encodes an exonuclease. J Biol Chem., 273, 18332-18339.    [Non-patent Document 37] Koken, M. H., Reynolds, P., Jaspers-Dekker, I., Prakash, L., Prakash, S., Bootsma, D., and Hoeijmakers, J. H. (1991). Structural and functional conservation of two human homologs of the yeast DNA repair gene RAD6. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 88, 8865-8869.    [Non-patent Document 38] Xin, H., Lin, W., Sumanasekera, W., Zhang, Y., Wu, X. and Wang, Z. (2000). The human RAD18 gene product interacts with HHR6A and HHR6B. Nucleic Acids Res., 28, 2847-2854.    [Non-patent Document 39] Kim, J., Kim, J. H., Lee, S. H., Kim, D. H., Kang, H. Y., Bae, S. H., Pan, Z. Q. and Seo, Y. S. (2002). The novel human DNA helicase hFBH1 is an F-box protein. J Biol Chem., 277, 24530-24537. Epub 2002 Apr. 15.    [Non-patent Document 40] Masutani, C., Sugasawa, K., Yanagisawa, J., Sonoyama, T., Ui, M., Enomoto, T., Takio, K., Tanaka, K., van der Spek, P. J., Bootsma, D., et al. (1994). Purification and cloning of a nucleotide excision repair complex involving the xeroderma pigmentosum group C protein and a human homologue of yeast RAD23. EMBO J., 13, 1831-1843.    [Non-patent Document 41] Schauber, C., Chen, L., Tongaonkar, P., Vega, I., Lambertson, D., Potts, W. and Madura, K. (1998). Rad23 links DNA repair to the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway. Nature., 391, 715-8.    [Non-patent Document 42] Henning, K. A., Li, L., Iyer, N., McDaniel, L. D., Reagan, M. S., Legerski, R., Schultz, R. A., Stefanini, M., Lehmann, A. R., Mayne, L. V., et al. (1995). The Cockayne syndrome group A gene encodes a WD repeat protein that interacts with CSB protein and a subunit of RNA polymerase II TFIIH. Cell., 82, 555-564.    [Non-patent Document 43] Selby, C. P. and Sancar, A. (1997). Human transcription-repair coupling factor CSB/ERCC6 is a DNA-stimulated ATPase but is not a helicase and does not disrupt the ternary transcription complex of stalled RNA polymerase II. J Biol Chem., 272, 1885-1890.    [Non-patent Document 44] O'Donovan, A., Davies, A. A., Moggs, J. G., West, S. C. and Wood, R. D. (1994). XPG endonuclease makes the 3′ incision in human DNA nucleotide excision repair. Nature., 371, 432-435.    [Non-patent Document 45] Sijbers, A. M., de Laat, W. L., Ariza, R. R., Biggerstaff, M., Wei, Y. F., Moggs, J. G, Carter, K. C., Shell, B. K., Evans, E., de Jong, M. C., Rademakers, S., de Rooij, J., Jaspers, N. G., Hoeijmakers, J. H. and Wood, R. D. (1996). Xeroderma pigmentosum group F caused by a defect in a structure-specific DNA repair endonuclease. Cell., 86, 811-822.    [Non-patent Document 46] Keeney, S., Chang, G. J. and Linn, S. (1993). Characterization of a human DNA damage binding protein implicated in xeroderma pigmentosum E. J Biol Chem., 268, 21293-21300.    [Non-patent Document 47] Nakatsu, Y., Asahina, H., Citterio, E., Rademakers, S., Vermeulen, W., Kamiuchi, S., Yeo, J. P., Khaw, M. C., Saijo, M., Kodo, N., Matsuda, T., Hoeijmakers, J. H. and Tanaka, K. (2000). XAB2, a novel tetratricopeptide repeat protein involved in transcription-coupled DNA repair and transcription. J Biol Chem., 275, 34931-34937.    [Non-patent Document 48] Olsen, L. C., Aasland, R., Wittwer, C. U., Krokan, H. E. and Helland, D. E. (1989). Molecular cloning of human uracil-DNA glycosylase, a highly conserved DNA repair enzyme. EMBO J., 8, 3121-3125.    [Non-patent Document 49] Hendrich, B. and Bird, A. (1998). Identification and characterization of a family of mammalian methyl-CpG binding proteins. Mol Cell Biol., 18, 6538-6547.    [Non-patent Document 50] Aspinwall, R., Rothwell, D. G, Roldan-Arjona, T., Anselmino, C., Ward, C. J., Cheadle, J. P., Sampson, J R., Lindahl, T., Harris, P. C. and Hickson, I. D. (1997). Cloning and characterization of a functional human homolog of Escherichia coli endonuclease III. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA., 94, 109-114.    [Non-patent Document 51] Hazra, T. K., Kow, Y. W., Hatahet, Z., Imhoff, B., Boldogh, I., Mokkapati, S. K., Mitra, S. and Izumi, T. (2002). Identification and characterization of a novel human DNA glycosylase for repair of cytosine-derived lesions. J Biol Chem., 277, 30417-30420. Epub 2002 Jul. 3.    [Non-patent Document 52] Morland, I., Rolseth, V., Luna, L., Rognes, T., Bjoras, M. and Seeberg, E. (2002). Human DNA glycosylases of the bacterial Fpg/MutM superfamily: an alternative pathway for the repair of 8-oxoguanine and other oxidation products in DNA. Nucleic Acids Res., 30, 4926-4036.    [Non-patent Document 53] Hadi, M. Z., Ginalski, K., Nguyen, L. H. and Wilson, D. M. 3rd. (2002). Determinants in nuclease specificity of Ape1 and Ape2, human homologues of Escherichia coli exonuclease III. J Mol Biol., 316, 853-866.    [Non-patent Document 54] Ikejima, M., Noguchi, S., Yamashita, R., Ogura, T., Sugimura, T., Gill, D. M. and Miwa, M. (1990). The zinc fingers of human poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase are differentially required for the recognition of DNA breaks and nicks and the consequent enzyme activation. Other structures recognize intact DNA. J Biol Chem., 265, 21907-21913.    [Non-patent Document 55] Jilani, A., Ramotar, D., Slack, C., Ong, C., Yang, X. M., Scherer, S. W. and Lasko, D. D. (1999). Molecular cloning of the human gene, PNKP, encoding a polynucleotide kinase 3′-phosphatase and evidence for its role in repair of DNA strand breaks caused by oxidative damage. J Biol Chem., 274, 24176-24186.    [Non-patent Document 56] Jezewska, M. J., Galletto, R. and Bujalowski, W. (2002). Dynamics of gapped DNA recognition by human polymerase beta J Biol Chem., 277, 20316-20327. Epub 2002 Mar. 23.    [Non-patent Document 57] Fishel, R, Ewel, A. and Lescoe, M. K. (1994). Purified human MSH2 protein binds to DNA containing mismatched nucleotides. Cancer Res., 54, 5539-5542.    [Non-patent Document 58] Yuan, Z. Q., Gottlieb, B., Beitel, L. K., Wong, N., Gordon, P. H., Wang, Q., Puisieux, A., Foulkes, W. D. and Trifiro, M. (2002). Polymorphisms and HNPCC: PMS2-MLH1 protein interactions diminished by single nucleotide polymorphisms. Hum Mutat., 19, 108-113.    [Non-patent Document 59] Wilson, D. M. 3rd, Carney, J. P., Coleman, M. A., Adamson, A. W., Christensen, M. and Lamerdin, J. E. (1998). Hex1: a new human Rad2 nuclease family member with homology to yeast exonuclease 1. Nucleic Acids Res., 26, 3762-3768.    [Non-patent Document 60] Vaisman, A., Tissier, A., Frank, E. G, Goodman, M. F. and Woodgate, R. (2001). Human DNA polymerase iota promiscuous mismatch extension. J Biol Chem. 2001 Aug. 17; 276(33):30615-22. Epub 2001 Jun. 11.    [Non-patent Document 61] Tombline, G. and Fishel, R. (2002). Biochemical characterization of the human RAD51 protein. I. ATP hydrolysis. J Biol Chem. 277, 14417-14425. Epub 2002 Feb. 11.    [Non-patent Document 62] Tombline, G, Shim, K. S. and Fishel, R. (2002). Biochemical characterization of the human RAD51 protein. II. Adenosine nucleotide binding and competition. J Biol Chem., 277, 14426-14433. Epub 2002 Feb. 11.    [Non-patent Document 63] Tombline, G. Heinen, C. D., Shim, K. S. and Fishel, R. (2002). Biochemical characterization of the human RAD51 protein. III. Modulation of DNA binding by adenosine nucleotides. J Biol Chem., 277, 14434-14442. Epub 2002 Feb. 11.    [Non-patent Document 64] Masson, J. Y., Tarsounas, M. C., Stasiak, A. Z., Stasiak, A., Shah, R., McIlwraith, M. J., Benson, F. E. and West, S. C. (2001). Identification and purification of two distinct complexes containing the five RAD51 paralogs. Genes Dev., 15, 3296-3307.    [Non-patent Document 65] Johnson, R. D., Liu, N. and Jasin, M. (1999). Mammalian XRCC2 promotes the repair of DNA double-strand breaks by homologous recombination. Nature., 401, 397-399.    [Non-patent Document 66] Kanaar, R., Troelstra, C., Swagemakers, S. M., Essers, J., Smit, B., Franssen, J. H., Pastink, A., Bezzubova, O. Y., Buerstedde, J. M., Clever, B., Heyer, W. D. and Hoeijmakers, J. H. (1996). Human and mouse homologs of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RAD54 DNA repair gene: evidence for functional conservation. Curr Biol, 6, 828-838.    [Non-patent Document 67] Yarden, R. I., Pardo-Reoyo, S., Sgagias, M., Cowan, K. H. and Brody, L. C. (2002). BRCA1 regulates the G2/M checkpoint by activating Chk1 kinase upon DNA damage. Nat. Genet., 30, 285-289. Epub 2002 Feb. 11.    [Non-patent Document 68] Mimori, T., Ohosone, Y., Hama, N., Suwa, A., Akizuki, M., Homma, M., Griffith, A. J. and Hardin, J. A. (1990). Isolation and characterization of cDNA encoding the 80-kDa subunit protein of the human autoantigen Ku (p70/p80) recognized by autoantibodies from patients with scleroderma-polymyositis overlap syndrome. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA., 87, 1777-1781.    [Non-patent Document 69] Li, Z., Otevrel, T., Gao, Y., Cheng, H. L., Seed, B., Stamato, T. D., Taccioli, G. E. and Alt, F, W. (1995). The XRCC4 gene encodes a novel protein involved in DNA double-strand break repair and V(D)J recombination. Cell., 83, 1079-1089.    [Non-patent Document 70] Kim, S. H., Kaminker, P. and Campisi, J. (1999). TIN2, a new regulator of telomere length in human cells. Nat. Genet., 23, 405-412.    [Non-patent Document 71] Afshar, G and Mumane, J. P. (1999). Characterization of a human gene with sequence homology to Saccharomyces cerevisiae SIR2. Gene., 234, 161-168.    [Non-patent Document 72] Koike, G. Maki, H., Takeya, H., Hayakawa, H. and Sekiguchi, M. (1990). Purification, structure, and biochemical properties of human 06-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase. J Biol Chem., 265, 14754-14762.    [Non-patent Document 73] Ladner, R. D., McNulty, D. E., Carr, S. A., Roberts, G. D. and Caradonna, S. J. (1996). Characterization of distinct nuclear and mitochondrial forms of human deoxyuridine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolase. J Biol Chem., 271, 7745-7751.    [Non-patent Document 74] Sangoram, A. M., Saez, L., Antoch, M. P., Gekakis, N., Staknis, D., Whiteley, A., Fruechte, E. M., Vitatema, M. H., Shimomura, K., King, D. P., Young, M. W., Weitz, C. J. and Takahashi, J. S. (1998). Mammalian circadian autoregulatory loop: a timeless ortholog and mPer1 interact and negatively regulate CLOCK-BMAL1-induced transcription. Neuron., 21, 1101-13.    [Non-patent Document 75] Hiraoka, L. R., Harrington, J. J., Gerhard, D. S., Lieber, M. R. and Hsieh, C. L. (1995). Sequence of human FEN-1, a structure-specific endonuclease, and chromosomal localization of the gene (FEN1) in mouse and human. Genomics., 25, 220-225.    [Non-patent Document 76] Liu, L., Mo, J., Rodriguez-Belmonte, E. M. and Lee, M. Y. (2000). Identification of a fourth subunit of mammalian DNA polymerase delta. J Biol Chem., 275, 18739-18744.    [Non-patent Document 77] Li, Y., Pursell, Z. F. and Linn, S. (2000). Identification and cloning of two histone fold motif-containing subunits of HeLa DNA polymerase epsilon. J Biol Chem., 275, 23247-23252.    [Non-patent Document 78] Hofmann, R. M. and Pickart, C. M. (1999). Noncanonical MMS2-encoded ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme functions in assembly of novel polyubiquitin chains for DNA repair. Cell., 96, 645-653.
[Non-patent Document 79] Neddermann, P. and Jiricny, J. (1993). The purification of a mismatch-specific thymine-DNA glycosylase from HeLa cells. J Biol Chem., 268, 21218-21224.
[Non-patent Document 80] Budd, M. E., Choe, W. C. and Campbell, J. L. (1995). DNA2 encodes a DNA helicase essential for replication of eukaryotic chromosomes. J Biol Chem., 270, 26766-26769.
[Non-patent Document 81] Budd, M. E. and Campbell, J. L. (1995). A yeast gene required for DNA replication encodes a protein with homology to DNA helicases. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA., 92, 7642-7646.
[Non-patent Document 82] Tang, J. and Chu, G (2002). Xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group E and UV-damaged DNA-binding protein. DNA Repair (Amst)., 1, 601-616.
[Non-patent Document 83] Martin-Lluesma, S., Stucke, V. M. and Nigg, E. A. (2002). Role of Hec1 in spindle checkpoint signaling and kinetochore recruitment of Mad1/Mad2. Science., 297, 2267-2270.